NAU professor to head federally funded study of homelessness in 3 Arizona counties
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More than 13,000 people experience homelessness on any given night in Arizona, according to estimates from the most recent point-in-time count. In the last three years, Arizona has seen one of the largest increases in the rate of homelessness in the country.
Northern Arizona University professor Sara Shuman will lead a three-year study to examine homelessness in three Arizona counties, made possible thanks to more than $700,000 in funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
She said she plans to focus on people who are unsheltered; “people who are sleeping in places that are not meant for human habitation. The street, encampments, tents, sidewalks, etcetera.”
“Most people in Arizona who are experiencing homelessness actually aren’t sleeping in an emergency shelter,” said Shuman. “They are unsheltered. And so there's a lot that’s not known about how to best provide support and help to folks who are outside.”
Maricopa, Pima and Yuma counties will be at the center of her research.
“We picked those three areas because they’re sort of the largest population centers in the state, and also have some similarities around extreme heat and exposure,” Shuman said.
One priority will be to look at ways of addressing homelessness in different areas — what’s working, and what’s not.
“We do know what doesn’t work,” said Shuman. “We know that just forcing people off the street and putting them into shelter doesn’t lead to permanent or stable housing.”
People who are unsheltered, she said, often face additional barriers. Among other things, advocates often refer to the ‘3 Ps’: pets, property, and partners — all things shelters tend to restrict or have other rules against.
